Gluing mechanism for hanger caping device



Aug. 22, 1961 B. J. ARONSON GLUING MECHANISM FOR HANGER CAPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 3, 1959 INVENTOR BEN J. ARONSON DECEASED BY ANN ARONSON, ADMRX.

Gaby rte Aug. 22, 1961 B. J. ARONSON 2,996,854

GLUING MECHANISM FOR HANGER CAPING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4g INVENTOR BEN J. ARONSON. DECEASED BY ANN ARONSON, ADMRX.

Aug. 22, 1961 B. J. ARONSON GLUING MECHANISM FOR HANGER CAPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 3, 1959 PHOTOMULTI F'LI ER TUBE 5 P we LOADED SOLENOID INVENTOR BEN J. ARONSON,DECEASJED BY ANN ARONSON, ADMRX.

2,996,854 GLUING MECHANISM FOR HANGER CAPING DEVICE Ben J. Aronson, deceased, late of 8733 N. Ridgeway, Skokie, Ill., by Ann Aronson, administratrix, Slrolkie, ill. Filed Nov. 3, '1959, Ser. No. 850,724 11 Claims. (Cl. 53-52) The present invention relates to the general field of automatically placing paper capes on Wire coat hangers of the character commonly used by dry cleaning establishments, and more specifically relates to that portion of the mechanism which is used for applying the glue to the precut cape blanks prior to their being folded over the hanger and secured thereto. More particularly, the subject invention relates to an improvement in that type of mechanism disclosed in United States Patent 2,896,383 issued July 28, 1959 on the application of Ben J. Aronson (deceased) entitled Apparatus for Covering Wire Garment Hangers.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a gluing mechanism for a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers which is capable of sustained operation with uniformity of application and a minimum of maintenance.

A related object of the present invention is to provide a gluing mechanism for an automatic caping machine which has a self-contained checking circuit which insures against spraying the work stations with glue when a paper cape may'have not been applied to that station, thereby preventing fouling the stations by gluing the working surfaces thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gluing mechanism for an automatic caping machine which insures application of the glue at the appropriate locations on the precut paper blanks uniformly and regularly over substained runs of 4,000 to 5,000 units per hour on a three-shift basis.

A more detailed but still important object of the invention is to provide a gluing mechanism for an automatic garment hanger covering machine which regularly applies sufiicient glue to the surfaces to be folded against themselves and pressed so that sufiicient adhesion will take place over a short period of time in order that the folded paper will remain secured to itself when the hangers are removed from the machine and bagged for shipment, further insuring against improper glue application which would cause successive ones of the caped hangers to stick against each other.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partially diagrammatic, of an automatic wire garment hanger paper covering machine of the character in which the present invention finds its primary utility.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, partially exploded, partially diagrammatic view illustrating the relationship between the Wire garment hanger and the paper blank as the Wire hanger and paper blank are brought together at the work station on the automatic machine.

FIG. 3 is a view sequential to FIG. 2 and in perspective relationship showing the juxtaposition of the inverted wire hanger on the paper blank prior to folding.

FIG. 4. is a view sequential to FIG. 3 and taken from the same vantage point illustrating how the flaps are folded over along the two sides of the hanger to achieve the first securement of the paper against itself.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the partially folded flap and hanger taken along section 55 Of FIG. 4.

Patented Aug. 22, 1961 FIG. 6 is a perspective view taken from the same vantage point as FIGS. 3 and 4 but sequential thereto illustrating the configuration of the wire garment hanger and paper covering with the second portion of the body of the paper cover folded over the bottom wire of the hanger into its final configuration.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view of the completely folded cape taken along section line '7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the paper cape blank illustrating diagrammatically the glue pattern as the glue is applied thereto by the pressure guns.

FIG. 9 is a partially diagrammatic view illustrating the geometrical relationship between the spray gun and the cape blank.

PEG. 10 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the spray guns taken from one end of FIG. 9 illustrating the relationship between the spray guns and the cape in the machine as the work station passes the spray guns.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical circuit including the electric eye mechanism to safety the unit against an application of glue to a Work station on which a paper cape has not been previously placed.

As pointed out in the objects above, the gluing device finds its primary utility in an automatic assembly ma chine 10, or keeping machine which receives a plurality of Wire hangers at its hanger delivery assembly 11, and processes the hangers 12 on a plurality of Work stations 14 so that a fully caped hanger 15 is taken off at the hanger discharge assembly 16. Each work station 14 contemplates a fixed platen l8 and a movable folding platen 19.

The hangers 12 are delivered in the inverted position to the work station 14 by means of the hanger delivery assembly 111 on to the work station, the work station at this point being covered by a cape blank 20 such as illustrated at the right hand side of FIG. 1. The cape blanks 2.0 are precut on a separate cape cutting assembly (not shown) and delivered to the work stations 14 by means of the cape conveyor assembly 21, and then stripped away from the cape conveyor assembly 21 by means of the stripper belt 23. Vacuum ports are conveniently provided throughout the work station 14 in order to assist in the transfer, and permanently fix the cape to the work station 14 for the period of time while the cape is on the caping machine 10. Each of the work stations is supplied with vacuum by means of the vacuum hoses 22 which are connected to the work stations 14 and to a central source of vacuum at the inner portion of the spider 24-. The work stations 14- are all driven by means of a cam arm 25 which follows the contour of drive cam 26 and through the gear cluster 23, operates the folding platen l9 and the associated folding elements as better described in United States Patent 2,896,383 hereinabove described.

It will be appreciated that the work stations 14 should remain relatively free from glue and other contaminants in order that the paper capes 20 not be stuck to the fixed or folding platens 18, 19 when the cape hanger l5 arrives at the hanger discharge assembly 16. Thus it is important that the gluing assembly 30 be uniformly reliable, and suitably safety secured so that the glue will not be discharged on a work station 14 if a cape blank 20 is not on that work station. It is entirely possible that the cutting machine might miss a cape, or a cape might become fouled or discharged as it passes over the stripper belt 23, or a vacuum line 22 might develop a leak and not hold the cape blank 20 satisfactorily against the work station 14. The glue assembly, as will be more clearly detailed hereinafter, provides a means for spraying the glue onto the cape blank 20 in a distinct predetermined pattern, and further, by means of a unique photoelectric cell and switch mechanism insures that the glue will not be sprayed towards a work station 14 unless a cape blank 20 is positioned thereon.

For a better understanding of the mechanism and circuitry of the gluing device, the configuration of the cape blank and its correlative relationship to the hanger, reference should be made to FIGS. 2 through 7. In FIG. 2 it will be seen that the cape blank 20 has the general configuration of a diamond. The ends 31 of the cape blank are cut oif along a line generally perpendicular with the long axis of the cape blank 2%. That portion of the cape blank which comes against the hooked end 32 of the hanger 12 has a hook cutout portion 34 which is flanked by the flaps 35. As will be more fully appreciated in FIG. 3, the shoulder rod glue spots 36 are so positioned with relation to the flap portions 35, that the shoulder rods 38 of the hanger 12 comes down midway between the short axis of the glue spot 36. As will be observed in FIG. 4, the flap dimension 35 is such that when folded over the shoulder rods 38, a portion of the glue spots 36 designed to correspond with the shoulder rod locations still remains exposed. Thereafter, the upper portion of the cape 39 is folded downwardly over the hanger tie rod 40, and the vertex glue spot 41 positions itself beneath the base of the hooked end 32 of the hanger 12 thereby effecting a seal at the vertex of the upper portion flap 39, and the side edges tapering down from the vertex are picked up and sealed by the portions of the shoulder rod glue spots 36 which are not covered by the flaps 35 as pointed out in connection with FIG. 4. After the folding has been completed the hanger and cape assume the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. As it will be noted particularly in FIG. 7, this configuration results in a three fold overlapping section 42 adjacent to the shoulder rod 38. Because the shoulder rod portion of the hanger 12 receives the most deflection and abuse in operation, it is important that the cape be most heavily reinforced adjacent the shoulder rod. With the construc tion of the cape as illustrated and described above, and particularly with the glue spotting as indicated, this desirable result is achieved, and in a manner which is readily susceptible of high speed operation on the subject machine.

Most coat hangers conform to a regular standard size or configuration, the best known ones having a tie rod or base length of 16 inches, with the shoulder rods being angled with the base or tie rod at 30 each. The overall height of the hanger is slightly in excess of eight inches.

Referring now to FIG. 8, where the glue pattern is shown more distinctly for purpose of emphasis, and where dimension indicia are shown, it will be seen that the shoulder rod glue spots 36 have a length designated generally by the latter L. Most satisfactory results have been achieved where the dimension L of the shoulder rod glue spots approximates four inches, and the dimension W, the average width, approximates one inch. The vertex glue spot 41 may vary in length L prime between three inches and four inches, and generally proximates in width W prime one inch. As will be pointed out hereinafter, as a result of two nozzles spraying the glue to define the vertex glue spot 41, the concentration of glue in that area is somewhat heavier than that of the shoulder rod glue spots 36, and can actually be twice as much as the shoulder rod glue spots inasmuch as the vertex gluing 41 is at the area of primary stress during use.

Various types of spray nozzles will prove satisfactory in operation for the gluing assembly 30 of the character shown and described herein. In a successful commercial embodiment, the compressed air system in the building is utilized. This compressed air system normally runs at between 90 and 100 p.s.i.g. A reducing valve is employed to out down the pressure to between 45 and 50 p.s.i.g. at the cylinder of the glue gun 45, and the internal piping of the glue gun is such as to reduce the air pressure further to approximately 15 p.s.i.g. at the nozzle. Since the distance from the glue gun nozzle 46 to the cape blank 20 (see FIG. 10) approximates three inches, too much pressure at the nozzle 46 will blow the cape blank 20 off of the work station 14, inasmuch as the cape blank 20 is held at the work station 14 by means of a vacuum. Obviously, not enough pressure will prevent the air from sufficiently transferring the glue to the appropriate glue spots, and atomizing the glue sufiiciently in order to give the disbursed patterns such as illustrated in FIG. 8. A pressure of between 5 and 10 pounds p.s.i.g. is applied to the glue at the glue tank, and glue reservoirs so that there is sufficient pressure to deliver the glue readily to the nozzle 46. Advantageously a casein type glue is employed which is sprayable into the patterns as described above, and which will take an immediate partially adhesive set upon contact with the paper. Suflicient additives may be employed in order to render the glue somewhat pressure sensitive after application so that upon folding of the cape 20, the pressure of the folding portions of the work station will additionally insure adhesion. In the mechanism as shown and described in detail herein, and in the issued Patent 2,896,383 no heat is employed to set the glue, with the result that the cold process must relay upon quick setting in combination with pressure sensitivity.

As will be noted in FIG. 9, which is a view taken from above the gluing station 30 in FIG. 1, it will be seen that the nozzles are oriented on centers which approximate the configuration of an isosceles trapezoid. The two nozzles 46 at the lower portion of FIG. 9 which combine their pattern to define the vertex glue spot 41, are pointed somewhat convergingly so that their patterns overlap. Each of the close nozzles 46 is in equal distance laterally from the center of the cape blank 20. The two widely spaced apart nozzles 46, the patterns from which define the shoulder rod glue spots 36, are positioned so that the fanning action of the nozzle 46 brings the shoulder rod glue spot 36 to a point closely adjacent the edge of the flap portion 35 of the cape blank 20. While it is contemplated that a single nozzle may be employed to discharge the glue to define the vertex glue spot 41, and then the nozzle configuration on center orientation would be that of an isosceles triangle, it has been found in practice that by using the two closely spaced nozzles 46 with an overlapping pattern that a greater degree of uniformity and homogeneity of glue disbursion is effected. Accordingly the isosceles trapezoidally spaced four nozzle arrangement is the preferred embodiment.

As pointed out above, each time the gluing action takes place at the gluing station 30, a Work station 14 is exposed to the risk of having its face coated with glue if a cape blank 20 is not fully attached to the station. With the activating circuit employed to activate the nozzles 46 in timed relation to the passage of he work stations 14, as best shown in FIG. 11, insurance is provided against such action. Referring now to FIG. 11 it will be seen that the hanger cape 20 as shown diagrammatically is lighted by means of a light source 48. The metal parts of the assembly machine 10 are painted black or otherwise dulled, so that the only element on the machine which will reflect high intensity light is a hanger cape 20 properly placed over the work station 14. A photoelectric cell 49 is positioned in advance of the gluing station 30 so that it will be energized in the event a hanger cape 20 is on the next work station 14 ready for gluing. In the event operation is normal, the photoelectric cell 49 will be energized each time a caped work station passes thereby. The action of the photoelectric cell 49 is translated into a photomultiplier tube 50 or equivalent relay type construction to energize the photoelectric sensitive solenoid 51. The photoelectric sensitive solenoid 51 then energizes a single acting push-pull or toggle switch 52 which serves as a safety switch which then closes the circuit except for the action of the valve energizing switch 54. The valve energizing switch 54 is closed by means of valve cam 55 which is driven off of drive shaft 56 coupled to the chain drive assembly 58 for the hanger delivery assembly. When the lobe 57 of the valve cam 55 engages the valve energizing switch 54, the circuit is completed and then the spring loaded valve solenoid 59 is energized for the period of dwell on the valve cam lobe, and the valve system 60 is opened whereby both air and glue come up through their respective tubes 61, 62 into the nozzle head 46 and discharge the atomized glue onto the cape blank 20.

Immediately thereafter, the safety switch cam continues rotating and the safety switch cam lobe 65 engages the safety switch 52, which at this point has been energized into the closed position by the photoelectric sensitive solenoid 51, and moves the switch into the open position. The radial relationship between the safety switch cam lobe 65 and the valve cam lobe is such that when the photoelectric circuit is opened, the work station will have passed the sensitive field of view of the photoelectric cell 49, so that another work station covered with a hanger cape 20 must pass within the field of view of the photoelectric cell 49 in order to reactivate the photoelectric sensitive solenoid 51 by means of the photomultiplier tube '50 or other amplifying element.

Thus the safety of the unit in preventing the fouling of the work stations 14 by means of glue is readily insured by means of mechanical switching elements, all of which operate to open the circuit so that the glue nozzles 46 will not be fed by an activation of the valve system 60. Inasmuch as machinery of this nature which operates on a three-shift basis under often adverse conditions is susceptible of breakdown from an electrical standpoint when relay contacts become dirty, tubes become worn, and dirt covers photoelectric cells, the present system in which the mechanical cams 55, 64 always open the circuit to prevent the passage of glue is most ideal. In the event there is a breakdown and the glue is not applied, it becomes readily apparent to the operator inasmuch as the hangers will start coming oif the machine and the capes will immediately fall olf. While this might occasion a short stoppage to repair the difiiculty, the opposite occurrence when paper might fail to feed to the work stations, and as a result all of the work stations be covered with glue in a matter of a few seconds would require a stoppage of the machine for several hours in order to clean the work stations. With the glue device as indicated above not only is an ideal pattern of glue spread upon the paper in a manner permitting the machine to operate at the capacity 'of 4,000 to 6,000 hangers per hour, but insurance against fouling of the machine and long time breakdowns due to glue being promiscuously spread across the work stations is prevented.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements and techniques are but illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements and procedures can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each work station is adapted to rotate continuously while sequentially having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of said nozzles, and actuating means for activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, the nozzles being oriented in a predetermined configuration to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a work station rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator.

2. In a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each work station is adapted to rotate continuously while sequentially having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying cold-drying liquid glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, and activating means for activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, the nozzles being oriented on triangular centers to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a work station rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator.

3. In a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each work station is adapted to rotate continuously while sequentially having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, four spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, and actuating means for activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, said nozzles being oriented in a predetermined configuration on isosceles trapezoidal centers to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a Work station rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator, the parallel legs of the isosceles trapezoid being parallel with the aXis of rotation of said rotating wheel, the two nozzles on the closest lateral centers being advanced radially forward in the direction of rotation of the radial wheel.

4. In a machine for automatically caping garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each work station is adapted to rotate continuously while having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of nozzles, conduit means for supplying pressure-sensitive glue under pressure to the said nozzles, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, and actuating means for activating said valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, said nozzles being oriented in a predetermined configuration on isosceles trapezoidal centers to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a work station rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator.

5. In a machine for automatically caping Wire garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each work stationis adapted to rotate continuously while having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying pressure-sensitive glue to the said nozzles under pressure in the range of about 5 to 10 p.s.i.g., valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, and actuating means for activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, said nozzles being oriented in a predetermined pattern of generally triangular configuration to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a work station as the cape blank passes the nozzles when a work station is rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator.

6. In a machine for automatically caping Wire garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating Wheel wherein each work station is adapted to rotate continuously while sequentially having a cape blank of Wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, four spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying pressure sensitive glue to the said nozzles under pressure in the range of about to 10 p.s.i.g., valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, and actuating means for activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of the work stations upon the rotating wheel, the nozzles being oriented in a pretermined configuration on isosceles trapezoidal centers to spray glue on a cape blank in place upon a work station as the latter passes the nozzles when a Work station is rotated into position adjacent the glue applicator, the parallel legs of the isosceles trapezoid being parallel with the axis of rotation of said rotating wheel, the two nozzles on the closest lateral centers being advanced radially in the direction of rotation of the radial Wheel.

7. In a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers, including a plurality of work stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each said station is adapted to rotate continuously while having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles oriented in a predetermined pattern of generally triangular con figuration, conduit means for supplying pressure sensitive glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, actuating means for periodically activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of said work stations upon said rotating wheel, and light sensitive means coupled to said actuating means adapted to energize said actuating means responsive to reflected light received from the surface of a cape blank positioned in place upon a work station rotated into position adjacent said glue applicator.

8. A machine in accordance with claim 7 wherein said light sensitive means coupled to the actuating means comprises a photoelectric cell positioned in advance of the gluing station so that said cell will be energized by reflective light in the event that a hanger cape is on the advancing work station and in position for gluing.

9. A machine in accordance with claim 7, wherein said actuating means for periodically activating said valve means comprises a spring loaded solenoid coupled to switching means adapted to energize said solenoid responsive to the movement of said rotating wheel advancing a hanger cape blank toward said glue applicator.

10. In a machine for automatically caping wire garment hangers including a plurality of Work stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each said station is adapted to rotate continuously while having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles oriented in a predetermined pattern of generally triangular configuration, conduit means for supplying pressure sensitive glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, actuating means for periodically activating the valve means to operate said nozzles in timed relation to the passage of said work stations upon said rotating Wheel, said actuating means comprising a spring loaded solenoid coupled to valve switching means adapted to energize said solenoid responsive to the movement of said rotating wheel when a cape blank is in position for gluing, safety switching means adapted to deenergize said solenoid immediately upon the passage of said cape blank from said gluing position, and, light sensitive means coupled to said safety switching means adapted to energize said actuating means responsive to reflected light received from the surface of a cape blank positioned in place upon a work station rotated into position adjacent said glue applicator.

11. In a machine for automatically caping garment hangers, including a plurality of folding stations oriented on radially spaced centers about a rotating wheel wherein each said station is adapted to rotate continuously while sequentially having a cape blank of wrapper sheet material placed thereupon, glue applied to the cape, a hanger placed over the cape blank, and the cape folded and fixed upon the hanger, a glue applicator comprising, in combination, a plurality of spray nozzles, conduit means for supplying glue to the said nozzles under pressure, valve means normally closing the glue conduit ahead of each nozzle, actuating means for periodically activating the valve means in timed relation to the rotation of the work stations and light sensitive means coupled to said actuating means adapted to energize said actuating means responsive to reflected light received from the surface of a cape blank positioned for gluing adjacent said glue applicator, the nozzles being oriented in a predetermined configuration and substantially normal to the plane of the cape blank as the latter passes the nozzles whereby the cape is prepared for gluing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,921 Warren July 29, 1941 2,747,347 Pope May 29, 1956 2,896,383 Aronson July 28, 1959 

